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Leading Muslim cleric killed in suicide bomb attack in Lahore

Jeremy Page, South Asia Correspondent

June 13 2009, 1:00am, The Times

When a diminutive 60-year-old Muslim cleric defiantly formed a religious alliance against the Taleban last month, he became a figurehead for tens of millions of moderate Pakistanis despairing at the state of their country.

Yesterday, however, Sarfraz Ahmed Naeemi paid with his life after a suicide bomber struck the Islamic college that he ran in the eastern city of Lahore, and where he had just conducted Friday prayers.

Dr Naeemi was killed in the office where, less than a month ago, he had welcomed The Times and begun to explain why he had decided to speak out against the Taleban.

“The Taleban is a stigma on Islam,” he had said as his 1,000 students began classes free of charge. “That is why we will support…